Condenser



J. c. C'OVRBIN.

CONDENSER.

7 APPLICATION FILED MAY 4. 1920.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921..

anvc u fo'a Ja'firz 613146121. at tozwm UNITED STATES JOHN G. CORBIN, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

(JOLTIDENSEE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 22, 1921.

Application filed May 4, 1920. Serial No. 378,862.

To all whom it may concern:-

Be it known that I, Join? C. CORBIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of Washington, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Condensers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in condensers for refrigerating apparatus and the object of my invention is to provide a condenser embodying an oil intercepting chamber that is adapted to be disposed within the condenser and is arranged to be submerged in the cooling water circulating through the condenser.

Another object is to provide-a condenser embodying an 011 intercepting chamberthrough which the gas to be condensed and purified is adapted to pass and wherein the particles of oil carried in suspension in the said gas are intercepted or separated therefrom during the purifying and preliminary condensation process.

A'further object is to provide a condenser embodying an oil intercepting chamber Which is adapted to further increase the capacity of the condenser thereby accelerating the condensation of the gases that pass therethrough and to also expedite the separating the oil particles carried by the said gases.

,A still further object is to provide a condenser embodying an oil intercepting chamber that is readily adaptable to be assembled with the compressor unit of the refrigerating apparatus. 1

A still further object is to provide a condenser of the counter flow type that embodies a submerged oil intercepting chamber wherein the initial cooling water is directed to. strike or impinge the coils containing the coldest gases therein.

A still further object is to provide a condenser embodying an oil intercepting chamber which combines strength and durability With economy of weight, that embodies simplicity and eihciency in its plan of con struction, that is positive in its operation and that will not readily get out of order.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as .the description proceeds, my invention resides in the novel construction, combination, adaptation and arrangement of parts hereafter described and claimed.

I accomplish these objects by devices illustrated in the accompanying drawin s, wherein- D Figure 1 is a View partly in medial vertical section and partly in elevation ofa condenser embodying my invention; v Fig. 2 is a viewin top plan of the same; and I Figs. 3 and 4 are views in horizontal section taken on broken lines 3, 3 and 4i, 4, respectively, of Fig; 1.

Referring to the drawings, throughout whlch like reference numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 10 designates the outer cyllndrical shell or casing 01" my condenser having a bottom wall 11 which may be integral or otherwise fixedly secured to the lower end ofthe-casing 10 which casing is further provided on its upper end with an outwardly projecting annular flange 12.

A crowned plate or cover 13 constitutes the closure for-the upper open end of the casing 10, the cover 13 having an outwardlyprojecting annular or peripheral flange 14 that is adapted to abut when positioned the annular flange 12 and being fixedly secured thereto by cap screws or studs 15.

Concentrically disposed and threadably engaged in the bottom wall 11 of the casing 10 is the upper end of an intake pipe 16 which serves as a conduit for the cooling water for the condenser and also serves as a support for the same;

Threadably engaged on the lower end of said intake pipe 16 is a reducing T 17 which is connected at its lower end by a threaded plugged nipple 18 to a base plate or floor flange 19. The reducing branch 20 of the T 17 being adapted to threadably receive and engage the outlet end of a supply pipe 21, which. forms the conduit for the cooling water for the condenser. To secure proper and uniform circulation through the condenser I provide an outlet or overflow pipe .22 which is concentrically disposed and threadably engaged. on its lower end in a central boss 28 formed on the upper side of the crowned plate '13. The upper end of the outlet pipe 22 may, if desired, be connected to the water jacket 01? the compressor unit, not shown, of the refrigerating apparatus 'for .the purpose of further utilizing the cooling water as a cooling medium for the compressor, thereby economizing in the amount or quantity of cooling water necessary iorthe proper functioning of the refrigerating apparatus.

is suitably spaced from the inner wall of they cover 13 of the casing 10, as shown in Fig. 1, and is provided on its inner face with an in- Disposed concentrically within the outer cylindrical casing 10 is an inner cylindrical casing 24 which forms the oil intercepting chamber 25 which casing 24 is somewhat smaller in diameter and shorter in length than the outer casing 10 and is adapted to be submerged at all times in the cooling water circulating within the outer casing 10 thereby providing the maximum surface area for the cooling action of the cooling water.

The inner casing 24 is provided on its lower end with a bottom wall 26 and on its upper end with a top wall 27 which-walls are integral with or otherwise fixedly secured to the cylindrical walls of said casing.

The lower or bottom wall 26 is disposed in spaced apart relation with respect to the lower or bottom wall 11 of the casing 10 by a distance piece or hollow pedestal 28 which serves as a support for the casing 24 within the casing 10. Y

The upper or top wall 27 of the casing 24 wardly and downwardly projecting inlet ,conduit 29, which may be integral with or 1 otherwise fixedly secured therein, through which the gases to be condensed are conducted, the pipe 29 extending downwardly within the chamber 25 to a point far enough to expedite and positively insure the precipitation and trapping of the entrained oil carried by the gases thereby preventing the entrained oil from rising with and being carried off by the gases during the circulation of the same through the condenser.

Formed on the upper face of the upper or top wall 27 is a threaded nipple 30 which may be integral or otherwise fixedly secured to said wall, the nipple 30 being disposed in axial alinement and arranged to communicate with the conduit pipe 29 ,as shown more clearly in Fig. 1.' V

' Threadably engaged on the nipple 30 is one end of-an elbow 31, the other end of which is adapted to receive the outlet end of the pipe 32through which the gases from the compressor unit, not shown, are conducted to the chamber 25. The pipe 32 is arranged to extend outwardly through the cylindrical wall of the casing 10 at a point adjacent its upper end, the casing l0 being provided with a stufling box 33, of any well known form, where the pipe 32 passes through the casing. To automatically control the supply of cooling water to the condenser I utilize the inlet'pressure of the gases passing through the pipe 32 to the chamber 25 to actuate an automatically controlled diaphragm valve 35, of any well known form, which is adapted to be interposed in the cooling water supply pipe 21. The valve 35 is connected by a pipe 36 with the pipe 32 thereby permitting the pressure of the gases in the pipe 32 to actuate the metallic diaphragm disposed within the valve 35.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that 0 should the pressure of the gases in the pipe 32 increase from any cause, the increased pressure will act on the metallic disphragm of the valve 35 to further open the valve thereby providing an increased volume of water to counteract the increased pressure of the gases. However, should the pressure of the gases in the pipe 32 decrease from any cause, the spring 37 on the valve 35 will tend to close the latter against the decreased pressure of the'gases acting on the upper side of the diaphragmdisposed within the valve 35.

thereby regulating and controlling the sup ply of cooling water in direct proportionto the pressure of the gases in the pipe32.

The upper wall 27 of the casing 25 is further .providedwith an outlet opening or aperture 40 which permits of the egress of the gases from the chamber 25 and which also furnishes communication between the chamber and a helical condensing coll 41,

which coil is adapted to be concentrically disposed within the outer casing 10 and around the inner casing 24 in the annular space formed by the cylindrical walls of the aforesaid casings and is further adapted to be at all times submerged in the'cooling water circulating within the casing 10 as shown more clearly in Fig. 1.

The upper end 42 of thecoil 41 is bent and inwardly directed toward the center of the coil as shown in Fig. 3 and is adapted'to be threadably engaged in the upper outer end of an elbow 43,'the other or lower end of the elbow 43 being provided with a flange 49 which is adapted to be fixedly secured, as

by cap screws 45, to the outer face of the wall 11 of the casing 10, the wall 11 beingprovided with a stuifing box 49, of any'well known form, at the point where the pipe 48 passes through the wall 11 as shown in Fig. 1; and is further provided on its lower outer end with an elbow 50 which in turn is adapts ed to threadably engage and receive the inner end of a pipe 51, the outer end of the pipe being adapted to connect and communicate with a liquid storage chamber, not shown.

It will be obvious by referring to Fig. 1 that the coil 41 is retained or maintained .llO

in its normal fixed position by its threaded connection with the elbow 43 on its upper end and by a similar connection with the reducing elbow d7 on its lower end.

In order to drain the accumulated intercepted oil from the chamber 25 I have provided a pipe 55 the upper end of which is threadably engaged in the lower or bottom wall 26 of the casing 24, the pipe 55 being disposed within and projecting downwardly through the distance piece or pedestal 28 and being further adapted to project downwardly and outwardly through the bottom wall 11 of the casing 10, the wall 11 being provided with a stufiing box 56 where the pipe 55 passes through the same.

Threadably engaged on the outer lower end of the pipe 55 is an elbow 57 having a nipple 58 threadably engaged on its outer end, the nipple 58 being adapted to threadably engage the inlet end of a shut-off valve 59, the outlet end 60 of which being directed downwardly to facilitate the draining of the oil from the chamber 25.

The inner casing 24: is retained and maintained in its normal fixed position on its pedestal 28, by the pipe 55 and the elbows 31 and 43 as will be readily understood.

It will be obvious that when a condenser fabricated in accordance with my invention is used in conjunction or embodied with marine refrigerating apparatus or installations on board ships or vessels. where it is necessary and essential from the standpoint of economy to use sea water as the cooling medium for the condenser, that in order to avoid the corrosive action of the sea water on the interior walls of said condenser, that it is important and advisable to treat the said walls with a non-corrosive substance.

I have therefore found in practice and af ter exhaustive tests that the maximum and desired results are obtained from the condenser when the interior walls of the same are tinned, thus providing an economical and eilicient means to resist the corrosive action of the sea water circulating upwardly through the said condenser.

In the operation of my condenser the gases to be condensed or liquefied are delivered under pressure through the pipe 32 and the pipe 29 and are discharged into the chamber 25 at the lower end of the pipe 29 where they are relieved of the entrained oil by impinging or contacting with the cooled inner surfaces of the cylindrical walls of the chamber 25, the entrained oil by reason of its greater specific gravity due to its cooled condition is precipitated to the bottom of the chamber where it is drawn off through the drain pipe 55 and valve 59 when desired. The purified gases pass through the opening 40 into the coil 41 where they are cooled and condensed to a liquid state by the cooling water circulating within the casing 10. The liquefied gases are then conducted through the pipes -18 and 51 to a liquid storage chamher, not shown; Should any fluctuations of pressure of the gases occur within the chamber and the pipe 82 the automatic control valve actuated by the fluctuating pressure will operate to provide a suflicient flow of cooling water to offset the fluctuation as hereinbefore described. i

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of the method of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains, and while I have described the principle of operation of the invention, together with the device which I now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire-to have it understood that the device shown is merely illustrative and that such changes may be made when desired as are within the scope of the following claims:

lVhat I claim is:

1. The combination with a condenser, of an oil intercepting chamber adapted to be normally submerged in the cooling medium circulating through said condenser, said,

chamber having suitable opening for the ingress and egress of the gases to be purified and condensed, means for draining the in tercepted oil from said chamber, and means actuated by the pressure of said gases adapted to automatically control the flow of said cooling medium.

2. The combination with a condenser, of an oil intercepting chamber adapted to be normally submerged in the cooling medium circulating through said condenser said chamber having inlet and outlet openings formed in the upper portion thereof for the ingress and egress of the gases to be purified and condensed, a downwardly and inwardly projecting conduit within said chamber adapted to register with said inlet opening, means disposed in the lower portion of said chamber for draining the same, and means actuated by the pressure of said gases adaptedto automatically control the flow of said cooling medium.

3. In a condenser comprising an outer casing having inlet and outlet openings, an inner casing forming an oil intercepting chamber concentrically disposed within said outer casing, a gas inlet pipe adapted to conduct gases under pressure into said oil intercepting chamber, a condensing coil concentrically disposed around said inner casing having its upper end adapted to communicate with the upper end of said oil intercepting chamber and its lower end adapted to communicate with a liquid storage chamber, draining means disposed in the her, and means for controlling the flow of the cooling medium of the condenser and adapted to be actuated by the pressure of the gases in said gas inlet pipe.

at. In a condenser comprising an outer casing, a cover therefor, an inlet supply pipe disposedin the lower portion of said casing, an outlet pipe disposed in said cover, an inner casing forming an oil intercepting chamber concentrically disposed within said outer casing, a downwardly and inwardly projecting conduit disposed within said chamber, a gas inlet pipe adapted to con ductgases under pressure through the said conduit into said chamber, a condensing coil concentrically disposed around said inner casing having its upper end adapted for communication with the upper end of said oil intercepting chamber and its lower end adapted to communicate with a liquid storage chamber, draining means disposed in the lower portion of said oil intercepting chamber, and means to control the flow of said cooling liquid adapted to be actuated by thepressure of the gases within said gas.

inlet pipe; 7 a

In witness whereofl'lhereunto subscribe my name this 28th day'of April, A. D. 1920.

JOHN C. CORBIN. 

